Vedic chants and bells echo in the air as devotees throng various temples to offer prayers to Lord Ganesha, the beloved elephant-headed deity, on the occasion of Vinayak Chaturthi, which is being celebrated today across southern India.

People patiently stood in serpentine queues at the Sri Ganesh temple in Telangana’s Secunderabad, awaiting their turn to offer prayers.

Hyderabad is witnessing joyous celebrations as devotees, dressed in their festive best, perform traditional folk dances at a pandal in the city.

Devotees in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, are queuing up at the renowned Mundhi Vinayagar Temple, dedicated to Lord Ganesha, since early morning.

The temple houses a magnificent idol of the deity carved in black stone, which stands 20 feet tall.

Elaborate rituals were performed at the Haritra Vinayagar Temple in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, as mesmerised devotees watched.

The deity at the temple is beautifully decorated in silver armour, and a special abhishek consisting of milk, water, and various other offerings was made on this auspicious occasion.

From the break of dawn, a massive crowd thronged Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the most popular Ganesh pandals in Mumbai.

Lakhs of devotees from across the world are expected to visit the pandal during the ten-day festival.

Ganesh Chaturthi, marking the birth of Lord Ganesha, commenced on Saturday, with idols of the deity being installed in homes and at public pandals across the country amid much fanfare and devotional fervour.

Families, including children and elderly members, stepped out of their homes early in the morning to worship the elephant-headed God and bring the deity’s idols to their homes amid chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya” and the beating of drums.

Video: PTI